Study on the Formation Characteristics and Disaster Mitigation Mechanisms of Rip Currents on Arc-Shaped Beach

Abstract

Rip currents are fast offshore currents generated during the breaking process of waves propagating nearshore, posing a potential life safety threat to coastal bathers. This study utilizes a Boussinesq phase-resolving model to investigate the formation mechanism of rip currents at Dadonghai Beach, based on its actual topography, and explores the characteristics of rip current formation under various wave conditions, with an emphasis on analyzing vortices, the mean water level and the spatial distribution of average velocity. The results indicate that rip current formation is significantly influenced by wave height and period. The increase in wave height and period results in more intense rip currents and higher water level fluctuations on arc-shaped beaches and on both sides of the bay, leading to complex vortex distributions. An increase in the angle of wave incidence hinders rip current formation in arc-shaped beach areas but is favorable to the generation of deflection rips on both sides of the bay. Furthermore, an increase in bottom friction inhibits rip current formation. When the water depth decreases in the channels, rip currents transition into longshore currents. The findings of this research offer valuable scientific insights into the formation mechanisms of rip currents and contribute to their prediction and prevention.

Keywords

• rip currents
• numerical simulation
• Boussinesq equation
• arc-shaped beach